Purpose: To assess intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Japanese patients.

Methods: Forty-seven patients treated with IVB for newly diagnosed subfoveal or juxtafoveal CNV (predominantly classic CNV, 15 eyes; minimally classic CNV, 11 eyes; occult CNV, 21 eyes) secondary to AMD and followed for more than 12 months were reviewed retrospectively. IVB (1 mg) was injected via the pars plana. Additional IVB or photodynamic therapy was administered for either persistent or recurrent exudation. The main outcome measurements were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), number of injections, and treatment other than bevacizumab.

Results: The mean baseline visual acuity (VA) was 0.38 [logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), 0.42] and final VA was 0.42 (logMAR, 0.38). During 12 months, bevacizumab was injected a mean of 3.4 times. Eight eyes received additional treatment. Up until 12 months, the mean BCVA with predominantly classic CNV increased, whereas the BCVA with minimally classic or occult with no classic CNV stabilized. The mean number of injections for predominantly classic CNV was 2.5, that for minimally classic CNV was 4.9, and that for occult with no classic CNV was 3.3.

Conclusions: IVB was especially effective for predominantly classic CNV, but CNV with subretinal pigment epithelial lesions might recur or enlarge despite additional IVB.